Aesthetic Evaluation of Autumn Landscape of Hyrcanian Native Trees Species for Use in Urban Landscape (A Case Study in Sari City Area of Iran)

Abstract

Recent decades have witnessed the growing use of non-native plants in Iran while their use is very challenging and high-cost for the country. This raised a new approach in recent decades towards the use of native plants. Native species are precious because they possess the main ecological factors and they are already compatible with the region. Accordingly, this research was conducted to evaluate the species of woody plants that can be used in green space planning. The study focused on 55 tree species from 20 plant families in the research area. After evaluating the parameters that govern the aesthetic beauty of the studied plants in autumn, 27 tree species of Hyrcanian area were placed in the group of beautiful plants in terms of aesthetic criteria in autumn, 14 species were placed in the group of very beautiful trees, and 14 species were placed in the group of trees with average beauty. The final conclusion was that some species of Hyrcanian native trees can be used to beautify the urban landscape, especially in autumn, so it is recommended to do compatibility studies on the use of these species in urban landscape, especially in parks.